


In The Balance

by midnightcas



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Awkward first meeting, Children, Communication Failure, Crushes, Cutesy, Deputy Derek, Derek Has a Crush on Stiles, Domestic Fluff, Dysfunctional Family, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Family Feels, Fatherhood, Flirting, Fluff and Smut, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, Grumpy Derek, Holidays, Jealous Derek, Kid Fic, Lydia Martin & Stiles Stilinski Friendship, M/M, Meddling Kids, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Professor Stiles Stilinski, Single Parent Derek, Single Parent Stiles Stilinski, Slice of Life, Slow Build, Stiles Stilinski is a Mess, Stiles is his Sunshine, Teacher Scott, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-02
Updated: 2017-10-02
Packaged: 2019-01-08 01:28:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12244467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnightcas/pseuds/midnightcas
Summary: Derek Hale hated kids. He hated them. And it just so happens that three are in his care.Stiles is another young man, made a father way too young. One day they meet. And their worlds collide....Stiles seemed to be the Saturday Cartoon guy. The 'tumble out of bed and lounge in his pajamas until noon' kind of guy. And Derek? Derek liked to wake up every morning at six so he could fit in his morning run and brew his coffee in relative silence. Everything about them represented different extremes. But life was all about balance. And as Christian had always said, balance isn't found, it's made.





	In The Balance

**Author's Note:**

> Hey Guys.
> 
> So that was a shitty summary. But you guys clicked it anyway....so thanks for giving it a chance.
> 
> This is mostly just the introduction, you know, getting the ball rolling and such. I'm currently working on dividing up the outline into chapters, so that should be cleared up in a couple of days. Yup. An outline. And you know what that means: a finished fic!! About time, I know....
> 
> So like I said, this is the introduction. And I probably won't update this again for another week or so, just because school's really kicking me while I'm down right now. But I just wanted to share with you guys to get your feedback. I really like this fic so far and think it'll be a light hearted read, but I'm definitely going to need your guys' help. It's very different from my usual work, so I'm kinda (?) counting on your feedback. I hope that's okay.
> 
> [Oh and I guess I should also....AUTHORS NOTE: I'm in no way stating that having a child at a young age is wrong in anyway. I'm saying that these two characters both had children at a time in their life where they were not personally mentally and emotionally ready to become parents. Trust me, I know plenty of successful and amazing people who had kids young and have beautiful, kind hearted and amazing children. So don't get me wrong. This fic will touch lightly on that "issue" for these characters, but it is only for fanfic sake. Thank you *bows out*]
> 
> Anywho....I hope you enjoy.

Derek Hale hated kids. He _hated_ them.

“I don’t. Want. To go.”

He was a twenty nine year old bachelor (very eligible). He should be hungover on this fine Wednesday morning with no responsibilities, maybe calling in sick to his dead end and very boring job that he was only doing until he found his passion. He should be waking up to a beautiful man or woman in his arms that he had brought home with him last night even with the knowledge that he’d never see them again. Or maybe he should already be in a serious relationship by now, thinking idly about marriage or “settling down”. He should be spending his weekends with his hands down his pants, scratching at his balls and watching the game. All of the games, actually. He should be on a beach somewhere with no responsibilities. Traveling across the world on a whim to Haiti or Mexico or Australia...

But _instead_ he was here. In Beacon Hills, _California_ , trying his hardest to get his _three_ responsibilities ready for school. Okay...to be completely fair, he had only fathered one of them. The _other two_...were Laura’s.

She was currently overseas, serving as a Sergeant in the Army. She had always wanted to be in the military, it’s one of Derek’s first memories of them as children, her bossing him and his younger sister around, going on ‘missions’ and taking care of the ‘enemy assailants’. Their parents, were of course, supportive, but pushed her to at least finish college. After getting her degree in History, she had waited another two years before enlisting and Derek will never forget the look of triumph on her face as she marched down to the town’s recruitment center and signed herself up for her greatest adventure yet.

Her parents were shocked, to say the least that she hadn’t run off mid semester to join, as Laura had always been strong willed, bull headed, even. But Derek supposed that most of the credit was owed to Christian. They met in her second year in a long and boring Russian Literature class and that had been the end of it. They were perfect for each other in every way. Christian was soft and gentle and kind, everything Laura was not and he balanced her out in ways only Fairytales and fluff laden stories ever spoke about. He had been hired straight out of law school at a fancy firm in the Bay Area and that was where they had decided to begin their family. They had their first child, Oliver that year and then they really were the perfect family.

Meanwhile...there was Derek. The family fuck up. Christian had been great since the moment they were introduced. He had immediately become an older brother figure to Derek, seeing as he was a full six years older. The Hales...everyone knew, could be difficult. Even then, he was a perfect fit for the family. Even through all of Derek’s shit he’d level him with his stoic, long patient look and accept whatever the issue was for whatever it actually was. He’d seen him give Laura the same look many times when she’d get overzealous or bratty or both. He was a kind soul and took the Hales for what they were, mistakes and history and all. Especially Derek’s. Because three months before Laura was supposed to give birth to Oliver, Derek found himself with his own child.

He had gotten involved with an older women...his TA nonetheless. They had fucked around more than a few times and Derek thought he was invincible, as most college jocks seem to do. She had hid it from him, disappearing for a while without a word of warning, before tracking Derek down and shoving the three month old into his arms. Threatening to press charges for rape if he didn’t take the child quietly. And as much as he wanted to stick it to her, to shout in her face that his brother in law was a lawyer and could have this whole fiasco figured out in a moment’s notice, but really, the last thing he wanted to do was to be a father that lost in court and for his ‘punishment’ to be a kid. Not the best way to start off this whole “father” thing. And it was also like... _his kid_. Like his very own. Even at three months he could see the signature dark Hale hair wisping across his head and his angled nose that seemed to have been stolen right off Derek’s face.

At the time he had been distraught and dumb, not having a single clue in the world as a 19 year old. But his family had been there. The whole time. They took turns watching him and feeding him and sharing their wisdom and spoiling him as if he was just as natural of a phenomenon as Oliver was three months later. He had named him James, after his father, which made both his parents cry for a week straight every time they caught sight of Derek and his son. He wasn’t going to lie. It was strange. Going from collegiate basketball star, going to Frat parties every weekend and hooking up with 9’s and 10’s to doting father in less than a month.

After a lot of arguing, he dropped out of college (luckily, money wasn’t an issue for them) and moved down to the Bay Area in a small apartment near by Christian and Laura. He wanted their kids to grow up together and he could look after Oliver when Christian had to work. Everything seemed to finally be falling into place. Derek was looking into careers that allowed for him to be home after school hours, he had met a few friends who James took to fantastically and he was happy. Two years after that, Laura gave birth to a beautiful little girl named Lucy. They swore up and down that the conception had been accidental, but her birthday fell just about 9 months from their anniversary, so Derek had his suspicions.

Three years after that, Laura went back to start her tour and Derek and Christian moved back to Beacon Hills to be closer to home. She loved Christian, more than air, more than everything Laura had ever loved. She would have dropped the whole Army lifestyle and career and everything that came along with it if he had ever even mentioned it. But he understood how...almost _natural_ it was for her. And while they had a family together, a beautiful one, it was her purpose, her soul calling was the Army. And Christian understood that and Derek bet that it never even crossed the man’s mind to ask her to give it up.

  
  
Two years ago, a year into Laura’s tour, Christian died.

It had been a drunk driver on Halloween. He and Derek had loaded the kids in the car to see Christian’s Parents so that they could see the kids after a long night of Trick-or-Treating. It was 7:30 and the kids were wiped. They had a plan to change them all into their PJ’s and throw a movie on for them in the family room with two pieces of candy apiece while the two of them would sneak downstairs to watch the game with a few beers. They had been just three blocks away from it all when they had been slammed into. All he remembered was the kids’ screams and Christian’s shocked expression before the man was out. He had managed, they’d tell him later, to break out of the car and drag all of the kids and Christian away from the wreck, despite his broken collarbone, before the entire scene went up in flames. He didn’t remember any of this, of course, but sometimes the flashbacks would get him at random moments, of the screeching of metal, the terrified hollers from the back seat, his brother’s lifeless face.

What he did remember, was how broken Laura was when she came home. She nearly took her full month off. Christian had been everything to her. And now she had two kids, four and six, a window at 31. Alone and lost.

Laura had never been lost. Even when Derek was 7 and was only 10 and they had gotten themselves lost in the corn maze he had insisted on visiting for his birthday. They had come to a dead end and Cora had been crying and Derek had been ready to turn back. But Laura...Laura had taken his hand and all but dragged him through the corn and dirt, despite all his shouts and requests. She didn’t stop until there were pieces of stalk in their hair and dirt on their brand new jeans and they had reached the edge. Now, it was questionable that she knew they’d come out on the same side of their waiting parents, but it had happened and she had gotten them _out_. Now it was Derek’s turn to take Laura’s hand. No matter where they ended up.

“I’ll take them.”

It was a cold, rainy night and all the kids were asleep. Lucy and Oliver were in their rooms and James was passed out on the couch next to his Aunt Cora. Their parents had just left, with the promise to return the next day and it was finally quiet. She was standing on the porch, looking out into the darkness.

“What?”

“The kids. I’ll take them.”

“Derek...”

He took a step towards her, wrapping his large steady hand that wasn’t tangled up in his brace around her shaking one, “What else are you going to do, Laura? Mom and Dad?”

“Well, I was thinking...”

“The company is all the way Downstate now. They travel every week. Christian’s parents are an hour away. I’m right here. They won’t have to change schools or settings or anything. Our family’s here. Our friends are here.”

She squeezed his hand back, then. Almost as if she had just realized that he was holding hers.

“But after something like this...isn’t there supposed to be a fresh start? A new,” she choked on her words, “a new beginning?”

Derek shrugged, “I think right now we all need a little stability and support. In a year or two, or whenever, if you still want to try moving, then okay. I’ll go where ever you do. But the school year just started. And you go back in a week, anyway. Why don’t we just...sit on it for now.”

“I can’t...You have your whole life ahead of you. I can’t just ask you to give it all up.”  
  
“Lo, I have James. I’m already a parent. My life’s already over.”  
  
At that she allowed a small huff of laughter, then she sobered, “Three kids are a lot, Der.”

“I know. I can handle it. And I wouldn’t be offering if I didn’t think I could.”

She had hugged him then, strong in her muscled arms. When she had pulled back she had taken his face in her hands, her own wet with tears, “My baby brother,” she cooed.

He halfheartedly shoved her off with a few tears of his own.  
  


And that was how he ended up here. Standing over his 9 year old son that was for some reason, refusing to go to his first day of 4th grade. Oh the ongoing questions of a father.  
  
“What do you mean you’re not going?”

“I’m not going.”

“James--”  
  
“It’s _Jim_.”

“Jim,” he corrected, holding back an eyeroll. He hated that name. His stupid 19 year old self hadn’t even considered that 10 years later the elegant name of “James” would be so cheapened. But who was he to judge, if he wanted to be called _Jam_ for Christ’s Sake Derek would put on his Parental Pants and let it happen. He racked it brain for something that would be important or appealing enough to a fourth grader to get him out of bed and off to school, “What about your friends?”

“I saw all of them this summer. And I have my phone.”

The ‘duh’ went unsaid. His phone. Right. Derek relished its existence. “Aunt Cora” had really come through that year.

“James,” he warned, already losing his very thin patience.

It was already 7:07 and damn, Derek used to be halfway into a full length ab work out by now. Now all he had time for was a run.

“Jim.”  
  
“James. Samuel. Hale. Get in the shower.”

At the middle name, he groaned, “Fine, fine, I’m _going_.”

Derek turned haughtily on his heel. One down. He was normally pretty lenient with the kids, James especially, since he was the oldest. They were all pretty well behaved anyway. Sure there was the occasional hair pulling and lip, all things that could easily be taken care of, however, with a stern look or a brief time out. All things considered, they were fucking angles.

The one thing that all the kids’ teachers brought to his attention, however, was their stern distrust in adults and lack of interest in their classmates. So every year, Derek would have to go through the same motions of telling and retelling Laura and Christian’s story and go through the pitying looks and structured apologies. And every year he would shrug it off and go home to tell the kids to try to make more friends at school and every year they wouldn’t. Normally, when something like the crash happened, the whole town would be there, nosey and helpful. But it had been kept on the downlow. It was the mayor’s daughter that had been the one to cause the accident, getting off untouched and away unscratched, of course. Laura had been paid a hefty amount of money to keep it quiet and she had been so overwhelmed with grief that the thought of a legal battle on top of everything else made her physically sick. There was still the occasional nightmare or sniffling at night, but all in all, Derek thought they were hanging in there pretty well for the most part.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched James storm out of his room and took the sharp turn towards the bathroom. He sighed and up a stray piece of clothing and headed over to wake up the next little monster. He wasn’t surprised to see Oliver already awake, nose buried in a book. It had taken Derek months and months to get him to read, but now...he couldn’t get him to stop. He had a strangely thorough obsession with astronomy and classic literature.  
  
“Hey, Champ.”  
  
“Hey, Uncle Derek.”

“Ready for some breakfast?”  
  
“In a second. There are two more pages in this chapter.”

“Okay, I can’t promise there’ll be any bacon left, though.”  
  
That had him, “Oh boy,” he grunted and slid off his bed, book in hand.

Derek followed him, chuckling softly and ruffling the boy’s thick hair. By the time the eggs finished cooking, Oliver had eaten six pieces of bacon and James had sulked into the kitchen, Lucy right behind him. Derek scooped her up in one fluid motion and pressed a kiss to her sleepy eyes as he finished arranging the french toast, eggs and fruit on three little plates.  
  
“Can I have James’ cantaloupe?” she whispered in his ear.

Derek looked over his shoulder to see Oliver pointing out something in his book of constellations and James staring at whatever it was in certain horror. Hiding a smile he shared a coconspiriting look with Lucy and pushed the orange fruit onto the next plate and replaced it with a piece of pineapple from his own.

“Don’t tell.”

She sloppily crossed her heart and scrambled out of his arms towards her spot at the table.

By eight, all of them were cleaned and dressed and lined up in front of the fireplace.

“Dad, come on. Take the picture, already!”  
  
“Would you hold on a second? Lucy, put your tongue back in your mouth. No funny faces, come on. This has to go to the Grandparents and Laura.”  
  
There were a few grunts and whines before Derek gave the final warning “smile” before snapping the picture.

“Good, alright, everyone in the car. Quick. I don’t want to get caught behind all the PTA Moms who take forever dropping off their kids.”

There was a chorus of agreements and laughter as they piled outside He followed, already wondering how he was going to get there and back in time to change into his uniform and head to the station. He was sure the Sheriff would understand. He was used to the whole ‘first day of school’ ordeal with his other deputies. He unlocked the car and supervised as they all piled into the Black Tesla.

“Derek!”

He turned abruptly to find the source of the voice. He was me with Braeden. His beautiful beautiful neighbor. They’d had a fling in high school and again in college after Kate. It had been fun while it lasted. But Derek wasn’t really into that anymore. Flings. Or women. A fact he had discovered a few months after Kate left him. After one of many nights of drinking into oblivion (a habit he had quickly nixed once James came into his life) he had let man take him home. An idea that had honestly never crossed his mind once before. He had called Christian as 4 in the morning, crying and begging for him to pick him up. He had spilled everything once he was safely in the car. Instead of speaking, the older man brought him to the closest 24 hour diner and let him sober up. He and his two sisters were the only ones who had known until a few years ago when he had owned up to his parents, who, apparently, had always known. But yeah...Braeden wasn’t really his own cup of tea...for many reasons. But then again, she never really was.

“Hey,” he smiled.

And so what if he was a bit of a flirt, he couldn’t help it. It was one of very few traits of his original young personality that stuck with him during his transformation of a parent.

“Taking the kids to school?”

“Yeah. First day.”

“Sweet. Hey, listen. I’m having a Halloween party this year. So after you take the kids out, you should definitely come over.”

“Yeah, I’ll try to to stop by.”

“Perfect. See you around, then. Have fun with the tykes.”

He threw her a short wave and slid into the car and met Kate’s hazel eyes. It was one of the few traits James had inherited from his mother. And there were still days that Derek would jump in shock at the resemblance. Kate had given him a lot over the years...at James was by far the best. It didn’t take a lot to remember that and to reattribute those eyes to being his _son’s_. Either way, they still held a lot of judgment in them. Something that Derek had to prod a little bit.

“What?”

“I don’t like her, Dad.”

That wasn’t new. James didn’t like anyone, “Well, you still have to be nice. She’s our neighbor.”

“Yeah, but _you_ like her.”  
  
“Sure,” he shrugged, “she’s a friend.”

“No, like you have a _crush_ on her.”

At that Oliver looked up from his book, pushing his large glasses up his nose. Derek stared at his son for a long moment. Deciding weather to explain the whole gay thing to him now or just leave it. He didn’t want to make it a big deal, because then his kids would think that having a different sexuality was a big deal. And it wasn’t like he was planning on dating anyone any time soon. He let out a breath through his nose and but the car into drive.

“I’m afraid not.”

James regarded his father a moment longer in the same way Derek had done with him just a second ago before letting out a ‘hmph’ and looking out the window.

“Why are you scared, Uncle Derek?” Lucy shrieked from the back.

“It’s just a phrase, sweetie.”  
  
“But you’re not scared.”  
  
“No, sweetie.”  
  
“Okie dokie. Can we listen to Katy Perry?”  
  
“No,” James and Oliver both groaned and flailed at the same time.

He didn’t bother hiding his toothy grin as he reached for the radio to switch the setting to “CD”.  
  
“Of course.”

 

 

 

Stiles stood nervously in the doorway, a mug of untouched coffee between his hands. There was a sinking feeling in his gut and as he watched Lydia fawned over the young girl who was moaning and twitching away as she did so.

“Sit still, Pumpkin,” Stiles urged, “she's almost done.”  
  
“I am not a pumpkin, Daddy,” she pouted, crossing her arms over her chest, “I’m a Max.”

His lips twitched into a smile, “Indeed you are.”

“Indeeeeeeeeed,” she repeated slyly, giving Lydia the side eye as she took the opportunity to tug at a piece of her hair.

Lydia finally stepped back, revealing a very pronounced headband braid women into soft brown hair that allowed the rest of it to hang in loose waves around her pale face all the way to her shoulders.

“There,” Lydia smiled despite Max’s frown.

Just getting through this alone had taken an entire hour. He relished the days of makeup and hoped they were far to come. Ever since Max had started school two years ago, Lydia had made it her personal mission, weather she’d ever admit it or not, to make Max the most stunning thing in a 50 miles radius of Beacon Hills. And she was doing a pretty good job, too, if Stiles did say so himself. At first he had been against it, the hair and clothes and _Lydia_ every morning. He knew Max wasn’t the easiest to keep seated, which was an unfortunate trait passed down by her father (wonderful). But Lydia insisted, especially after she saw the outfit Stiles had put Max in for the first day of kindergarten, a batman shirt and jeans with a plaid overlay. But yeah...Lydia insisted and she had known Stiles since they were in diapers, which meant she knew exactly what she was getting into when it came to Max. And Stiles thought she kind of enjoyed it--having a little creature she could dress up and style, her own mini me. And if Stiles was being honest...which he was, at the moment, he kind of enjoyed seeing Lydia put out once in awhile, the normally placid Ice Queen struggling to keep a child’s attention was definitely going to be featured in her highlight reel if Stiles ever had the pleasure of making one. And Max liked it too, well, not the process of it all, but she definitely reveled in the compliments and gushing Moms at the drop off circle and bus stop. Yeah, she was definitely a Drama Queen. That was for sure. But Stiles couldn’t really place where she had gotten that trait from. He didn’t think he was _that_ dramatic...But Max was actually a pretty cool little kid. Something he was overtly grateful for. She liked her movie nights with Stiles, which consisted of old classics, because he was not going to let _his daughter_ walk around uneducated, thank you very much. She’d also indulge him once a year by picking people like Rey or Catwoman or even Rosie the Riveter for Halloween (Women Empowerment, Heck Yeah).

He watched now as Lydia, squatted in front of Max tucked a few more pieces of hair in place before reaching for her purse and pulling out chapstick. It was pink and blue and sparkly and it made Stiles want to throw up. She handed it to the girl whose entire face lit up.

“You’ve graduated,” she smiled.

Max squeals as she reached for it.

“No.”  
  
Lydia turned around to face him so fast that Stiles bet it hurt.

“But, Daddy,” Max said, hopping down from the kitchen chair that had been dragged into the living room, “I need to look _fabulous_.”

“You _do_ ,” he insisted, placing a hand on the back of her head as she came to stand next to him.

“I know but this will make me look even _better_ . Like a rockstar.”  
  
At that she took it upon herself to knee slide across the carpet, attention already being pulled by the TV. Stiles looked the Lydia.

“It’s chapstick, Stiles,” she rolled her eyes at him as she stood and made her way over to him.

“She’s 6. That’s a gateway drug down a path I don’t want to go down for at least another twelve years.”  
  
“Would you relax? Why are you so worked up?”

“It’s not like this is her _first_ day. And Scott’s her teacher. So I don’t know what you’re so upset over.”  
  
“Maybe it’s _because_ Scott’s her teacher?” He tried.

“That literally makes no sense,” she deadpanned.

Stiles grunted, “I don’t know, it’s hard to explain,” Lydia leveled him with a look and he continued on a sigh, “I just...I want her to do well.”

“Stiles, baby, she will,” she soothed, placing a hand on his forearm and rubbing, “look at her, she’s perfect.”

He smiled at the sincerity in her voice.

“Aunt Lydia, I have to pee.”

“You know where the bathroom is.”  
  
“But my dress,” she whined.

“Pull it up?”

“We’re not there yet,” Stiles grunted as he picked up his daughter and peppered her face with kisses.

“Dad,” she laughed, “No. No. I’m gonna pee on you.”

Lydia smiled on fondly before taking Max from his arms and walking her towards the bathroom, “Alright, Princess. Let me show you a little trade secret.”

Stiles went to work cleaning the mess of crayons and coloring books on the floor and putting the dishes from breakfast away. He glanced at the time. His father should be there soon to take his “first day of school” pictures so he could show them off at the office and then they’d be off. Max was young for her age. But she was brilliant. And Stiles was more proud of that than anything. But Lydia was right, she was perfect. She was small with bright eyes like his and her hair was the same ash brown as her mother’s and her face...well she looked like a near replica of Stiles’ own Mom. Something his father never failed to point out at every opportunity. She had a kind heart and a sense of humor that even Stiles, at 25 could enjoy. She was also a little...extra. But so was Stiles, so they got along great. He wouldn’t want to have any other person for a daughter. He was already so proud of her, it was unreal. His phone buzzed in his pocket.

“Hello.”  
  
“Stiles, hey.”  
  
“Hey, Ally, what’s up?”

Ally or rather, Allison Argent, was married to Scott, his best friend and also Max’s teacher. The three of them, including Lydia, were concerningly codependent. But it had been that way since high school and they had only gotten closer when they had found out that Malia was pregnant. They had been his support group through the rest of Senior Year and College and they were all family as far as Max was concerned.

“Did you leave yet?”

“No, Dad’s gonna swing by and take some pictures. Probably be out of here in 20. Why what’s up?”  
  
“Scott forgot his worksheets.”  
  
Stiles let out a laugh, “I’ll swing by and pick them up. Twenty six years old and he’s still can’t get ready for school right.”  
  
Allison laughed, “I know.”

“How’s Tori?”

“Nervous.”  
  
“Aw.”  
  
“What about Max?”  
  
“She’s fine. Ready, I think.”

“Sounds like Tori’s not the only one who’s nervous.”  
  
“Shut up,” Stiles grinned, “I’ll pick them up. Bring them for ice cream or something?”  
  
“Oh she’d love that.”

“Because Uncle Stiles is the best.”  
  
“Yeah.” she snorted, “Uncle Stiles is something alright.”

“Alright, I’ll text you when I’m on the way.”

As he hung up Max and Lydia emerged from that bathroom and there was a knock on the door. Max’s big eyes swung his way.

“I bet that’s Grandpa.”  
  
She squealed excitedly and dashed towards the door. A moment later his father walked in, fully dressed in his Sheriff’s uniform, his Granddaughter in his arms.

“She’s getting too big to carry,” he gruffed.

“Don’t say that,” Stiles whined, not emotionally ready for all the growing up and “graduating” his daughter was doing today.

“You’re gonna wear that to work?” His father raised an eyebrow at Stiles’ pajama ensemble, a pair of red plaid bottoms with rips nearly everywhere decent and a large black hoodie he had stolen from his last boyfriend, Theo.

“Uh, yeah?”

“Go change. Or you’ll be late, too.”

Stiles rolled his eyes but complied. He was a Professor at the University for English Literature and he was very lucky that he loved his job. He slid into a pair of jeans that were tighter than what he usually went for and fumbled his way through buttoning up his dark blue dress shirt that had classy white dots strung about it. He shouldered on his brown blazer and looked in the mirror. He looked like a kid playing dress up. But he guessed playing dress up meant he was actually attempting to look somewhat decent opposed to the tshirt and jeans look he had been caught in by the Head of his Department last year. Lydia had dragged him shopping the next day and loaded his closet with a very “Professor” looking wardrobe. It was...it was fine. Though Stiles still prefered his plaid shirts and hoodies and pop culture referencing tees. However, he did notice a higher regard for respect when he actually looked and dressed the part. Whatever. It was going to get cold soon and that meant he could start wearing his sweater vests. And that was what was really important. He ran a hand through his unruly hair and sighed. He made his way out to see that the pictures were finishing up and he was soon free to go. He needed a coffee. Something with so much sugar that it was concerning for his health and the sooner he got everyone out the door, the sooner he would obtain it. After he was goaded into a picture or seven of he and Max and then one with his father and Max and then one along with Lydia, they departed. Both his father and Lydia waved good bye to he and Max from where they stood on the porch.

“You ready?”  
  
“Heck yeah.”

“Let’s get it.”

**Author's Note:**

> So, I know it cuts off at the start, but that's the point, I guess.
> 
> What did you think? Like the pace? Hate the pace? Too much focus on certain characters and not others? Please let me know. I think this fic will turn out fun, it's definitely different from anything else I've ever written, but I'm gonna need your guys' help to do that. 
> 
> So start a dialogue with me, I'd love to hear your feedback.
> 
> Thanks so much for reading.  
> Hope to see you soon xoxo
> 
>  
> 
> Also....yes. I accidentally published this work like 80,000 times. I was having trouble with my wifi and thought it wasn't posting. Lucky me. What a way to start off a fanfic smh I lost a bunch of comments already (so, sorry guys). But thank you to all the people who pointed it out to me <3 Better luck for me in the future I suppose. Problem should be fixed now x


End file.
